Brandon Marshall illness raises football questions also

I was just surfing the web and, going on a football site, I was reading the headlines:

Jets reach deal with Plaxico

Jets re-sign Cromartie

Bengals bring back Benson

Seahawks, Tatupu part ways

Dolphins WR admits personality disorder

Jaguars Lewis ending holdout

Which one do you see is a little out of place? I'll give you one guess.

Look, I have compassion for Brandon Marshall. I feel sympathy for him as he battles the demons of Borderline Personality Disorder. The man's life has, by his own admission, been hell the past year. He hasn't been a happy camper in the least despite being so blessed with natural gifts and worldly luxuries -- cars, big home, lots of cash, great athletic ability, wife, family.

The story of Marshall seeking help for his condition is one of courage. No doubt.

But there is a football angle that must be discussed also. And from a purely football standpoint, and the Miami Dolphins, after all, are a football team not a mental health clinic, the Marshall story has to make you cringe.

Basically, the Dolphins greatest offensive weapon from last season, and the man they are counting on to be their best offensive offensive player again this season, is admitting he is suffering from a mental illness. And while Marshall has been aggressive in seeking treatment for the disorder and believes he has it under control, he adds, "by no means am I healed or fixed."

That is scary, particularly for a team that has no second act if Marshall suffers a relapse. What happens if Marshall goes from Beast mode to Boderline Beast mode, in which he loses control again?

We will hurt with him and for him because you never want a fellow human to be so buffeted by such troubles. But Dolphins fans will also be hurting for their team because, geez, this is a guy the offense is counting on to be on the field and be 100 percent engaged for 16 games. And you should worry because the team currently has no complementary weapon to put on the field if something happens to Marshall.